BY ALGAHANUNA ABDULLAHI GARGA
The moral pattern of Nigerian politics continues to change with the crop of politicians elected into leadership positions. In the past, our representatives were chosen based primarily on the auspices of the mere tribe, religion,n or region rather than on their governance skills, civil commitment, moral principles, and human values.
Combating poverty, and providing healthcare, jobs, quality education, safety and security to the poor were not of importance to the political leaders. Because in realpolitik, the rich and the privileged have their priorities and different sociopolitical agendas. Of course, given the large empire of corruption that Nigeria has become, it is impossible to name clean-living political leaders. To date, the majority of the members of the National Assembly, state legislators, governors, and local government councilors are either criminals or ex-convicts. Most of them are wicked, insensitive, and insidious to honor human values. They are not morally equipped to take Nigeria to a better place.
For as long as I have been old enough to understand what goes on in Nigeria today, it has always been clear to me that citizens have often been unhappy with the quality of those who govern them. I am specifically talking about the Hungry Hamsters, Craving Cats, and the Pop-Bellied Possums who have re-jigged our political pedestal and turned it into a jungle democracy.
Rt. Hon. Yusuf Adamu Gagdi OON has become the exception rather than the rule. He is rewriting the history of political leadership within the Nigerian matrix. He is indeed, turning the apple cart against the insatiable rogues of the people’s common will.
The legislator has chosen service over propaganda and quality and verifiable projects to add value to his people instead of propaganda which many of his contemporaries deploy as a survival strategy in governance.
The 42-year-old economist, who himself, has tasted poverty and hardship, chose to embark on projects that impact directly on the lives of the people. And, the projects are many and widespread across the length and breadth of the state. They are verifiable and physical for even the blind to see, touch,h and feel their presence. The projects touch all aspects of development, with education topping the list apparently because the legislator comes from the ivory tower where he has made a mark as a Dr. to be soon.
The statistics speak for themselves: On education, Hon. Gagdi undertook capital projects. He built classroom blocks in schools within the three local government areas. These include a new 3-block Classroom with Offices in GSS Kor in Belting, a 3-block Classroom with Offices in GSS Balang, 3 classrooms block in Gum-Gagdi, and six(6) blocks of classrooms in Langshi amongst others. Equally, the rep member paid registration fees for WEAC and JAMB to all students within his constituency and a total of five thousand exercise books have been provided for school pupils in the area including 300 school desks to improve the learning environment in schools.
Responding to youth unemployment, his leadership engaged over 500 unemployed youths in the Vocational Entrepreneurial Training Scheme for skills acquisition. Most of these trainees are now self-employed while others are being employed by some private sector. He has equally lobbied Federal appointments to over 500 constituents in various ministries, agencies, and parastatals. This timely move has significantly reduced the menace of political thuggery and the melee of loitering around government offices.
In the area of health care delivery, the Rep member has also left an indelible mark in his first tenure in office. Gagdi accorded greater priority to primary healthcare at the grassroots level. In that sector, Gagdi undertook projects, from which over 10 new primary healthcare centers (PHCs) were constructed within the three local government areas.
Similarly, the lawmaker did not disappoint in the area of water supply, a key component of development in the constituency, which relies heavily on water for agriculture and consumption. In his first tenure in office, Gagdi drilled no fewer than 300 new boreholes within the three local government areas of the constituency.
In the field of agriculture, Gagdi empowered constituents with Water Pumps with Suction hoses, Grammazoe Insecticide, Rice Herbicides, Fertilizers, Grain storage Bag, and cash Stipends worth Millions of Naira to over 300 beneficiaries within Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam Federal Constituency. He recently distributed 150 bags of fertilizer to irrigation farmers within the three Local Government Areas under the PKK.
In the area of road construction, Gagdi has Constructed 9.7kilometerss of road across the Headquarters of Kanam LGA and 9.2kilometerss of roads in the Pankshin metropolis aside from road maintenance projects within the constituency.
According to an inspiring leadership quote: “When someone is truly a visionary and works all his changing the course of history by inventing, discovering or implementing things that can improve people’s lives, they become immortals! Implying that Gagdi is simply immortal for the huge difference he made by doing the right thing and standing by the truth, which other leaders detest. We need more of his type, right from the local council level to the presidency, more so now than ever before.
With this impressive record of performance in grassroots leadership, Gagdi has become a polished name in political prosperity that PKK has known. No matter the lens we use to look at Gagdi, we cannot ignore his contributions to the political and socio-economic development of the PKK.
With his recent reelection, the world of PKK constituents overflows with new vistas of opportunities and possibilities and we are optimistic about his wisdom and exposure to spin them into gold.
Sir, continue with the many life-changing bills, the numerous developmental projects, as well as the administrative wizardry capable of driving home numerous developments. We know you are fully equipped to create the perfect balance of representation, legislation, and leadership as you have done in the past.
We will watch in amazement to see your new ideas rolled out and turn them into something spectacular in the coming months and years. Best wishes for many many more years of even more happiness and success yet to come.
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